Mesut Ozil is set to kick off a new chapter of his life as the former Arsenal footballer has reportedly been enlisted as a candidate in the Turkish Parliamentary elections. Ozil will stand as a representative of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a report by the Turkiyenewspaper.
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Ozil shares a close relationship with Erdogan, who was the chief guest at the footballer’s wedding in 2019. The news about Ozil’s entry into politics came to light after the President announced that his party would introduce some new candidates in the upcoming polls.
Ozil has always been vocal about his bonding with Turkey despite wearing the German outfit throughout his international career. His parents were Turkish migrants and shifted to Germany a long time ago. His connection with Turkey resulted in the footballer receiving racist comments. Ozil hit back saying that he is considered “German when winning, Turkish when losing".
Ozil also garnered backlash over a photo of him with Erdogan at a hotel in London in May 2018. Ozil, who played a key role in Germany lifting the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, left the German national team, claiming he had experienced “racism and disrespect" due to his Turkish ancestry. The event transpired during a political debate in Germany about the influx of migrants.
After parting ways with Arsenal, Mesut Ozil shifted his base to Turkey and spent the rest of his club career in the Turkish Super Lig. He joined the Istanbul club Fenerbahce in the summer of 2021 before moving to Istanbul Basaksehir less than a year later. The former Real Madrid man, however, could not match his iconic form in Turkey as his spell was mostly hampered by injuries.
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Due to severe injuries in his waist, Ozil managed to represent Basaksehir in just 7 games and was involved in on-field proceedings for 142 minutes. Ozil, while announcing his retirement last month, also referred to his frequent injury issues as the reason behind his decision to end the 17-year-long illustrious career in football.
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